Jigsaw puzzle with sliding elements lockable in assembled relation



July 25, 1967 G. L. BENNETT JIGSAW PUZZLE WITH SLIDING ELEMENTS LOCKABLE IN ASSEMBLED RELATION w v4. m

Filed Nov. 4, 1966 INVENTOR. GENE L. BENNETT ATTOR EYS United States Patent "ice 4 Claims. (Cl. 273-157) The present invention pertains to the art of puzzles and more particularly to a jigsaw puzzle of the type that can be assembled to form a complete picture, design, figure or geometric shape.

The present invention is particularly applicable to a jigsaw puzzle of the type that can be assembled to form a complete picture and the invention will be discussed with particular reference thereto; however, it is to be appreciated that the invention has much broader applications and may be used for the construction of a jigsaw puzzle of the type that can be assembled to form figures, such as animals and cartoon characters, and geometric shapes, such as stars, squares and circles.

The term picture as hereinafter used is intended to define any two-dimensional work of art which may include pictures, maps, writings, etc.

For many years, jigsaw puzzles have been a major form of entertainment for children and the complexity of these puzzles is varied according to the age group of the children to which the puzzles are directed. These puzzles, for smaller children especially, include a plurality of loose, relatively large puzzle segments that can be manually assembled into the proper order on a frame or on a table top to form a complete picture. Such jigsaw puzzles are satisfactory; however, a child often loses the puzzle segments which completely destroys the enjoyment which the child experiences in assembling the puzzle. In addition, a child playing with such a puzzle often scatters the various puzzle segments over a large area which greatly increases the effort necessary for picking up after the child.

The present invention is directed toward a jigsaw puzzle which overcomes these and other disadvantages while still retaining those characteristics of a jigsaw puzzle which are responsible for the vast enjoyment experienced by children as they assemble the jigsaw puzzle.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a jigsaw puzzle comprising a frame, a plurality of flat, puzzle segments adapted to be arranged in a preselected order on the frame to form a complete, fiat picture, means for securing the segments onto the frame and means for allowing relatively free rotation of a majority of the segments about axes generally perpendicular to the frame and for allowing relatively free translation of the segments on the frame.

The terms rotation and translation as used herein indicate movement of the puzzle segments on the frame in such a manner that the segments can be shifted in a plane parallel to the frame and rotated about axes perpendicular to the frame which movement results in relatively free manipulation of the segments along the frame.

The primary object of the present invention is the provision of a jigsaw puzzle which is versatile in operation, inexpensive to manufacture and durable in use.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a jigsaw puzzle which allows free disassembly and assembly of the puzzle segments while they are continuously secured onto a frame.

Still another object of the present invention is the provision of a jigsaw puzzle which includes a frame and a plurality of puzzle segments mounted onto the frame 3,332,687 Patented July 25, 1'96? in a manner so that they may be freely movable into their proper assembled condition.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a jigsaw puzzle which includes a frame, guide means on the frame, a plurality of puzzle segments adapted to be arranged in a preselected order on the frame to form a complete picture and means for allowing free rotation and translation of the puzzle segments on the frame so that they can be freely movable on the frame into and out of their proper assembled condition.

These and other objects and advantages-will become apparent from the following description used to illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a pictorial view illustrating the preferred embodiment of the present invention with the puzzle seg ments assembled;

FIGURE 2 is .a pictorial view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and similar to FIGURE 1 showing the puzzle segments disassembled;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURES 4 and 5 are fragmentary, cross-sectional views illustrating one form of a means for securing the jigsaw puzzle in its assembled condition.

Referring now the drawings, wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting same, FIGURE 1 shows a jigsaw puzzle A having a frame or base 10 for supporting a complete picture 12 which may take the form of a square or rectangular flat picture having various designs imprinted on the upper surface thereof or the form of a flat silhouette of an animal, cartoon character or geometric shape with the appropriate designs imprinted thereon. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the complete picture 12 is constructed in the form of a square having the necessary design imprinted on the upper surface thereof which design has been omitted to better illustrate the mechanical features of puzzle A.

The complete picture 12 is formed from a plurality of puzzle segments 14 which are adapted to be arranged in a preselected order to form the complete picture as is evident from the showing of FIGURE 1 and each of the puzzle segments 14 are adapted to be received within a guide means, such as slot 16. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the slots 16 extend in a random manner and radially outward from the center of the complete picture 12. The puzzle .segments 14 are secured within the guide means, or slots 16, by mechanical connections which, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, comprise a bolt 18 and a washer 20 secured to the under surface of puzzle segments 14 as is best shown in FIGURE 3. The shank of the bolt 18 has a diameter substantially less than the width of slot 16 so that the puzzle segments 14 can be freely shifted along the slot 16. The washer 20 is spaced slightly from the under surface of frame 10 so that the puzzle segments 14 can be freely rotated about axis a which extends generally through the center of the bolt 18.

In accordance with this construction of the guide means on frame 10 and the mechanical conections between the puzzle segments 14 and slots 16, each puzzle segment can freely translate along the upper surface of frame 10 in a path defined 'by the slot 16 in which the segment is received. In addition, the segments are freely rotatable generally about the axes a. Thus, the segments 14 can be translated and rotated in a plane parallel to and coinciding with the plane of the complete picture 12. To allow greater freedom of movement of the segments 14 with respect to their guide means, or slots 16,

some of the slots 16 have an enlarged portion 22 adjacent their radially inwardmost end. The width of each of these enlarged portions is not greater than the diameter of the washer 20 so the segments 14 remain secured onto frame 10.

Generally at the center of the complete picture 12, there is provided a center puzzle segment 30 having a generally triangular shape in the illustrated embodiment and including a pivot pin 32 which pivotally secures the center puzzle segment onto frame 10. The pivotal axis of pin 32 is offset from the geometric center of the segment 30 so that the position of the segment on the frame can be changed by rotating the segment with respect to the frame. This center segment 30, in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention, provides a starting point for the subsequent assembly of the puzzle segments 14.

At the four corners of the complete picture 12, there are provided corner puzzle segments 40 which, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, are provided with means for securing the puzzle in its assembled condition. In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the corner puzzle segments 40 are movable within corner slots 42 in a manner quite similar to the movement of segments 14 in slots 16. The mechanical connections between corner segments 40 and frame 10 includes bolts 44, washers 46 and resilient sleeves 48 surrounding the shank of the bolts and deformable by the washers 46 in a manner to be hereinafter described. In FIGURE 4, the sleeve 48 is not deformed to a great extent by washer 46; therefore, the segment 40 is still freely translatable and rotatable within the slot 42 in a manner somewhat similar to segments 14 in slots 16; however, in FIGURE 5, the washer 46 has been tightened down against the sleeve 48 which deforms the sleeve into frictional engagement with the side walls of slot 42 so that movement of the segment within the slot requires a substantial force as compared to the force to move segments 14. Thus, the segment 40, as shown in FIGURE 5, will remain in the position into which it is manipulated on the frame 10. The useof this feature of corner segments 40 will be apparent from the following description.

In operation of the puzzle A, the corner segments 40 are shifted outwardly as is shown in FIGURE 2 and frame 10 is shook, or otherwise vibrated, until the segments 14 assume a generally random arrangement as is shown in FIGURE 2. During this random disassembly of segments 14, the center segment 30, which is freely rotatable about pin 32, is also shifted from its proper orientation on the frame 10. The complete picture 12 is then assembled by rotating center segment 30 to the desired position and rotating and translating the segments 14 on the frame 10 until they are all in their proper position. Thereafter, the corner segments 40 are moved downwardly into engagement with the segments 14. Since the segments 40 will remain in the position into which they are manipulated, these corner segments secure the complete picture in its assembled condition until the corner pieces are again withdrawn.

It is appreciated that other arrangements can be provided for maintaining the complete picture 12 in its assembled condition; for instance, it is contemplated that a square frame B having an inner periphery corresponding to the outer periphery of the complete picture 12 can be positioned over the picture after assembly thereof, as shown in phantom lines in FIGURE 1. In this case, there would be no need for providing the corner segments 40 with arrangements. for securing the corner segments in their manipulated position.

It is easily appreciated that this jigsaw puzzle A can be used without losing the various puzzle segments or scattering the puzzle segments over a large area.

Various structural changes may be made in the guide means on the frame 10 and the mechanical connections between the guide means and the puzzle segments without departing from the intended spirit and scope of the present invention which is directed toward a jigsaw puzzle with freely movable puzzle segments secured onto the frame so that they may be assembled and disassembled in a manner similar to a jigsaw puzzle without the concomitant disadvantages of a jigsaw, i.e., loss of and scattering of the puzzle segments.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A jigsaw puzzle comprising a frame, a plurality of randomly arranged guide slots, a plurality of flat puzzle segments adapted to be arranged in a preselected order on said frame to form a complete, flat picture, means for securing said segments onto said frame, said means allowing relatively free rotation of a majority of said segments about axes generally perpendicular to said frame and allowing relatively free translation of said majority of said segments on said frame, said means including pins connected onto said puzzle segments and extending into said guide slots and means for preventing removal of said pins from said guide slots, said pins being relatively freely rotatable and translatable in said slots, selected ones of said pins having means for frictionally engaging said guide slots to maintain the puzzle segments in assembled relationship.

2. A jigsaw puzzle as defined in claim 1 including a starting puzzle segment secured on said frame adjacent the center of said complete picture to pivot only with respect to said frame.

3. A jigsaw puzzle as defined in claim 1 wherein each of said majority of said segments is received in a separate one of said guide slots.

4. A jigsaw puzzle comprising a frame, a plurality of randomly arranged guide slots, a plurality of flat puzzle segments adapted to be arranged in a preselected order on said frame to form a complete, flat picture, means for securing said segments onto said frame, said means allowing relatively free rotation of a majority of said segments about axes generally perpendicular to said frame and allowing relatively free translation of said majority of said segments on said frame, said means including pins connected onto said puzzle segments and extending into said guide slots and means for preventing removal of said pins fromsaid guide slots, said pins being relatively freely rotatable and translatable in said slots, resilient sleeves on selected ones of said pins, and means for deforming said sleeves into frictional engagement with the walls of said guide slots to thereby maintain the puzzle segments in assembled relationship.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,975,667 10/ 1934 Roberts 273157 2,886,324 5/1959 Cowan 273157 2,948,535 8/ 1960 Ellman 273157 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,290,228 3/ 1962 France.

119,985 10/ 19 18 Great Britain.

ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner. 

1. A JIGSAW PUZZLE COMPRISING A FRAME, A PLURALITY OF RANDOMLY ARRANGED GUIDE SLOTS, A PLURALITY OF FLAT PUZZLE SEGMENTS ADAPTED TO BE ARRANGED IN A PRESELECTED ORDER ON SAID FRAME TO FORM A COMPLETE, FLAT PICTURE, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID SEGMENTS ONTO SAID FRAME, SAID MEANS ALLOWING RELATIVELY FREE ROTATION OF A MAJORITY OF SAID SEGMENTS ABOUT AXES GENERALLY PERPENDICULAR TO SAID FRAME AND ALLOWING RELATIVELY FREE TRANSLATION OF SAID MAJORITY OF SAID SEGMENTS ON SAID FRAME, SAID MEANS INCLUDING PINS CONNECTED ONTO SAID PUZZLE SEGMENTS AND EXTENDING INTO SAID GUIDE SLOTS AND MEANS FOR PREVENTING REMOVAL OF SAID PINS FROM SAID GUIDE SLOTS, SAID PINS BEING RELATIVELY FREELY ROTATABLE AND TRANSLATABLE IN SAID SLOTS, SELECTED ONES OF SAID PINS HAVING MEANS FOR FRICTIONALLY ENGAGING SAID GUIDE SLOTS TO MAINTAIN THE PUZZLE SEGMENTS IN ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP. 